Atwood wins TSS young composerS competition

Michael D. Atwood is the winner of The Summer Singers’ second annual young composers competition. His piece, Nunc Dimittis, will be performed as part of The Summer Singers’ 21st season this July.

Nunc Dimittis was selected from a group of more than 60 submissions by TSS artistic director Russell Adrian. Entries were sent from as far away as the U.K., Brazil, Ukraine, Poland and Iran.

The Summer Singers’ Young Composers Initiative, in its second season, aims to promote the music of young composers, helping them find their first or second performance of a work. The composer receives a $500 prize, three concert performances of the work and a professional recording of the piece. Composers must be 25 years of age or younger at the time of their submission.

“I would like to thank everyone who took the time to send us scores this year,” said Adrian, entering his fourth season as the artistic director of The Summer Singers, an a cappella ensemble of two dozen voices based in the Twin Cities. “I chose five finalists from over 60 submissions and the choir read them at our first rehearsal. The ensemble gave overwhelming support to Michael Atwood’s composition and we look forward to performing it this summer.”

As a graduate from the music department at Minnesota State University-Mankato, Michael D. Atwood (b. 1990) has taken advantage of numerous semesters studying private composition with Dr. David C. Dickau, and was selected as a winner of the Twin Cities’ Vox Nova Chorale's 2015 call for scores. Holding a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance, Michael currently teaches voice lessons out of his private studio, is the director of music for his local church, and serves as conductor for the MSU University Chorale. He completed his Master of Music degree in choral conducting this spring.

The Summer Singers will help promote the winning work and the composer may choose to have a perusal copy of the winning submission posted on our website. The Summer Singers will have a perpetual license to perform and record the winning work for archival and other purposes, including cd distribution and website postings.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.